Spring is here. The fields by the stream full of new arrivals. Wide eyed, wobbly legged calves, nervous foals and lambs so young they're still sleeping. Mothers standing protectively near. Bob and Sophie are in immovable stop and stare mode. The calves and the foals require a good five minutes perusal. The lambs are passed by quickly. Great sheepdogs.
In the March edition of Harpers an interesting article on something called the past-life phenomenon http://harpers.org/archive/2015/03/giving-up-the-ghost/. Children, often very young, who can describe in great detail
events that happened long before they were born. A story of a two year old in
Louisiana who could describe 'his' shipmates on an aircraft carrier sixty years
ago.
A researcher at the University of Virginia turns to Quantum physics to explain the unexplainable. He puts these cases down to "a single consciousness persisting across a sequence of physical bodies ". Guess that's a fancy way of saying what goes around comes around.
Anyone who's faced toddlers may be more sceptical. A two year old can overhear a conversation or a television programme and sprout it back with embellishments.
A researcher at the University of Virginia turns to Quantum physics to explain the unexplainable. He puts these cases down to "a single consciousness persisting across a sequence of physical bodies ". Guess that's a fancy way of saying what goes around comes around.
Anyone who's faced toddlers may be more sceptical. A two year old can overhear a conversation or a television programme and sprout it back with embellishments.
This cynicism does not extend to PONs. You could almost believe that there are certain sheepdogs who know their folks can't manage without them. From time to time they head off to the Dog Star, get rid of a tired old body, learn some new mischief and then return to guarding their flock. No rest for them until their job is done. " A single consciousness persisting across a sequence of physical bodies ".
Bob and Sophie are so alike previous generations in terms of their behaviour ( and likes and dislikes ) it's uncanny. A breed thing ? Or perhaps this is an insight into eternity only dog owners have ? Whatever, the whimsical 'almost' thought puts a smile on my face. Sufficient reason to renew Harpers for another year.
15 comments:
Sometimes it's as if the former dog hasn't completely gone.
Even now I unconsciously occasionally adjust my steps to navigate Whiskey, who left us 23 years ago, supposedly.
And Wilf seems to be very present in young Bob.
x
I feel compelled to apologise for my poor writing; never write when you are eating your bran flakes.
Mundane to suggest it's a mixture of breed characteristics and upbringing. (nature AND nurture).
Much more credible that Wilf and Digby won't est till you do. (no slight. I'm a believer).
But it must be puppies, I think. My 6 Oes have been as different as chalk from cheese, one to the other.
because, of course, they were all rescues, but the first
Surely it's a breed thing? We have always had Yellow Labradors, usually two together, though never from the same litter or breeder. They have all shared the same basic Lab. characteristics, but also had their own occasional likes and dislikes - we even once had one that didn't like water! Our latest girl is so much like our very first boy from thirty-odd years ago, it's quite uncanny - except that she isn't much good in catching tennis balls and can't carry three in her mouth at the same time!
We call it 'ditto' whenever our dogs duplicate the behaviour of previous paws. In fact, one of the previous paws was nearly called Ditto!
Yes, those little glimmers that remind you of past dog companions happen here.
The new mothers don't need to worry with the stalwart Bob about - he's such a fine, dependable chap. We know we keep saying it, but he's such a handsome boy and today Sophie, too, doesn't look as though she's having a bad hair day.
No further complications with the red trouser brigade .....it's gone ominously quiet, but perhaps it's because it's only Tuesday ? Oh, wasn't this the day Aude was due to start painting ?
The New Scientist frequently features examples of non-physicists' egregious use of the term 'quantum', a term especially favoured by new age quacks attempting to impart a spurious veneer of scientific credibility.
Personally, I'd say Bob and Sophie's behaviour is better explained by chaos theory or the second law of thermodynamics…
Cheers! Gail.
PON nature and Angus and font nurture, I believe.
An excellent combination to be sure.
Yes but, as you said, they've wiped out much of the sheep herding gene.
You have caught my interest with this article since I love delving into paranormal events.
I have no doubt that Bob and Sophie reveal little glimmers of Wilf and Digby every day, and poster Bella Roxy and Macdui above sums it up perfectly.
We all have those Déjà vu moments and I always wonder about that....events that I have lived through already and I know exactly how they will play out when they come around again.....things that make you go hmmmm.....
At times I think the little black dog is whispering to the terror...oops terrier. Different breeds, pure bred vs mix breed, etc. we've had some moments here!!!
I'll have to buy a copy of Harper's and read the entire article, what's posted sounds pretty interesting. We all know reincarnation has been embraced by many of the world’s oldest religions. Even if you’re a skeptic, what have you got to lose by at least considering the possibility?
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